META foundation hosted a professional practice workshop entitled “The business of being an artist”. The aim was to provide artists with a better understanding of the visual art industry as a whole and prepare them for life as a creative and cultural entrepreneur. The workshop was a huge success, with all thanks to our speakers for all their insight and the Friedrich Nauman Foundation for their support. Last but not least the emerging artists who took it upon themselves to be part of the workshop.

Sara Hallatt, the host of the podcast dived in the most discussed topics in the following episodes.

Episode 1: The “business of being an artist”

This podcast comes off the back of a 4-month workshop that we have just completed that has focused on entrepreneurial skills for visual artists.

The course covered topics ranging from networking, professional documents, professional practise, budgeting and planning through to presentation skills and critical feedback on the artist’s work.  We are hoping to run this course annually so please keep a look out on our socials for more.

This episode deals with the participant’s experience of the course and what they learnt. The two speakers are Mohini Pillay and Alpheus Ngoepe.

We want to thank our sponsors of this programme, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and Quorum Property holdings for their ongoing support of the META foundation.

Episode 2: Making a name for yourself

This podcast episode is centred around making a name for yourself as an artist. Once you have decided that you want to be an artist, and become obsessive about making great work, and you have found a gallery and hosted an exhibition, now what?

Our first guest, phoning in from Cape Town, is Writer, researcher, and art critic Mary Corrigall.  Our second guest is Dr Paul Baylis, representing the ABSA L’atelier competition.

Episode 3: Working with a gallery & preparing for an exhibition

This podcast comes off the back of a 4-month workshop that we have just completed that has focused on entrepreneurial skills for visual artists.

This episode is centred around working with a gallery and planning an exhibition. We speak to guests Julie Taylor from Guns and Rain and Vivien Kohler, artist.

We want to thank our sponsors of this programme, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and Quorum Property holdings for their ongoing support of the META foundation.

Episode 4: Making great work

This is the final instalment of this podcast and we are speaking about making great work. Is there a so-called “secret sauce” that an artist can work to? Or it is more mystical and magical? We are talking to 2017 Standard Bank Young Artist for Visual Art, Beth Diane Armstrong and Ashraf Jamal – academic, writer and cultural theorist whose most recent books include In The World Essay on Contemporary South African Art (published in 2017) and its follow up STRANGE CARGO: Essays on Art (published in 2022).

We want to thank our sponsors of this programme, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and Quorum Property holdings for their ongoing support of the META foundation.